By Courtney Mitchell
“Get ready.”
These words were the invitation to imagination that keynote speaker William E. “Bill” Conway Jr. had for the UNC School of Nursing faculty, staff, alumni, students and donors who packed The Blue Zone Concourse Club on Oct. 25 to celebrate the groundbreaking of a building that will represent a dynamic future for nursing and nursing education in the state – a future that Conway said holds more than we can know.
The upcoming Nursing Education Building will be a 110,000-square-foot facility to replace the outdated wing of Carrington Hall, which was built in 1969. Facing South Columbia Street, the state-of-the-art building will increase the school’s footprint by 20,000 square feet. The modern structure will also provide the latest technologies in simulation, teaching and learning to better prepare students for the modern healthcare environment.
“This groundbreaking is more than a physical milestone,” said School of Nursing Dean Valerie Howard. “It is a symbol of our ongoing commitment to advance health for all through accessible education and service, through translatable scholarship, through meaningful partnerships – local and global – that ensure that Carolina and nurses will meet and lead the profession through the challenges of today and those of tomorrow.”
Missed the ceremony or want to relive the excitement? Visit our Building the Future of Nursing page for event photo galleries, a full recording of the ceremony, a video recap and more!
The increased capacity will also allow for current and future program expansion to address North Carolina’s critical nursing shortage, an issue the state legislature has demonstrated a clear commitment to improving. Carrington Hall had long been on a list of buildings awaiting repair when, in 2020, the North Carolina General Assembly invested in the new building with appropriations totaling $87.9 million.
Conway is co-founder and co-executive chairman of the board of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most successful global investment firms. He’s also a noted philanthropist who, with his late wife Joanne, made a $5 million commitment to the school in 2023. The Conways have committed more than $300 million to nursing schools since 2013, placing them among the largest philanthropic supporters of nurses and nursing education in the nation. He said he was inspired not only by the School of Nursing, but also by the state’s support.
“North Carolina, first of all, has the need for nurses. And UNC has a track record of developing outstanding nurses,” he said.
The Conways’ gift was their first to a North Carolina nursing school and more than doubled the amount of scholarship funding available for the baccalaureate program. Ricarte Jin Atienza, BSN ’25, is in the first cohort of Conway Scholars at UNC-Chapel Hill.
We will finally have a building that will be able to hold the caliber of nursing students, faculty and staff of the nation’s top-ranked public nursing school and propel us into the future of healthcare that has shaped up to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
Brandi Newman BSN ’01, MSN ’04
“Carolina and nurses are known for setting the bar high, for improving patient outcomes, advocating for changes in healthcare policy and pushing innovative healthcare practices,” Atienza said. “This new building will be a powerful catalyst in that mission. It will be a place where we as students can learn from the best in the field, where we’ll hone our skills in state-of-the-art simulation labs, collaborate with interprofessional teams and be challenged with them critically about how we can make a real difference. It will provide us with the tools we need to not only succeed in our careers, but to lead with confidence, compassion and a deep sense of purpose.”
Brandi Newman BSN ’01, MSN ’04, Vice President of Administration for Community & Social Impact at Atrium Health and a member of UNC’s Board of Visitors, acknowledged the nostalgia the old wing of Carrington Hall has for many alumni while also recognizing the limitations an aging facility has had on the school.
“In that old building, we were home to this great state’s premier, nationally ranked nursing school. Fast forward 25 years later, we still stand here with a nursing program that is ranked No. 1 among public schools of nursing in this country,” Newman said. “And we will finally have a building that will be able to hold the caliber of nursing students, faculty and staff of the nation’s top-ranked public nursing school and propel us into the future of healthcare that has shaped up to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”
Other speakers included Provost Chris Clemens, who opened the event; North Carolina State Senator Amy Galey; Latesha K. Harris, BSN ’20, PhD ’25; Taylor Pinkos, BSN ’20, DNP ’25; and North Carolina State Senator Gale Adcock, MSN ’87. After a ceremonial “turning of the dirt,” attendees stayed for a reception and school-wide expo featuring UNC nursing students and faculty.
To learn more and to join others who have donated to the building, visit nursing.unc.edu/give/building-the-future-of-nursing.
Visit our photo library to view and download pictures from the Groundbreaking Ceremony and Dinner:
With partial funding from the state of North Carolina in hand, we need private partners who understand the critical role a new facility will play in promoting the health and well-being of patients for years to come.
Check out our campaign booklet to learn how you can help us build a new home for Carolina Nursing. You can make a difference today by making a gift online or completing our commitment form.
